Metascore®Universal acclaimbased on a weighted average of allcritic review scores.

100

out of 100

Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern

The film doesn't play it safe, so neither will I. Instead, I'll say that it finds Mr. Tarantino perched improbably but securely on the top of a production that's wildly extravagant, ferociously violent, ludicrously lurid and outrageously entertaining, yet also, remarkably, very much about the pernicious lunacy of racism and, yes, slavery's singular horrors.

DiCaprio, having a blast, makes Candie the equivalent of Waltz's Nazi in "Inglourious Basterds": a racist villain who mesmerizes us by elevating his ideology into a puckishly thought-out vision of the world. Yet Django isn't nearly the film that Inglourious was.

Only Tarantino could come up with such a wild cross-cultural mash, a smorgasbord of ingredients stemming from spaghetti Westerns, German legend, historical slavery, modern rap music, proto-Ku Klux Klan fashion, an assembly of '60s and '70s character actors and a leading couple meant to be the distant forebears of blaxploitation hero John Shaft and make it not only digestible but actually pretty delicious.

Parents need to know that Django Unchained comes from writer/director Quentin Tarantino, and if you've seen any of his other films, you know what that means: incredibly strong, shocking "grindhouse" violence and language. Django Unchained (which takes place in Deep South in the mid-1800s) not only features guns, shooting, killing, and spurting blood, but also horrible violence against slaves. Male slaves are forced to fight each other, breaking bones and bashing each other into a bloody pulp. A female slave is briefly tortured, and a male slave is ripped apart by dogs. The "N" word is used countless times, as are other Tarantino favorites ("f--k," etc.). There's some partial nudity (both male and female) and kissing, as well as some cigarette smoking and background drinking. The good news is that this movie takes a matter-of-fact look at slavery, which may get discussions going among older teens and families. But otherwise, this movie is very brutal and not recommended for the under-18 set.

Families can talk about Django Unchained's brutal violence. Why do you think Tarantino chose to make the violence so intense and bloody? What effect does it have on the movie overall?

How does the movie depict slavery during the pre-Civil War era? What does this movie show that other movies set during that period don't show? Do you think it's exploitative, or will it get meaningful conversations started?

Why do you think actors are attracted to these kinds of vicious roles? What's appealing about them?

The good stuff

Messages: On the one hand, Django Unchained looks at slavery in a matter-of-fact way -- in a way that many other American movies have avoided -- and it could get discussion going about that part of American history. But on the other hand, the movie is largely about killing and revenge, with no real redemption or lessons learned.

Role models: Django Unchained is populated mainly by killers and scoundrels, people who are hateful and seeking revenge or are looking out for their own interests. One character agrees to help another out of what seems to be friendship, but this small act is more or less lost in the grand scheme of brutality.

What to watch for

Violence: In addition to explosive shootouts and killings with massive quantities of spurting blood, the movie shows shocking mistreatments of slaves; male slaves are forced to fight one another, breaking bones and bashing each other to a bloody pulp, and a female slave is tortured in a "hot box" for several days. A slave is ripped apart by dogs while people watch. A man is murdered in front of his young son. Slaves are branded.

Sex: Partial nudity includes one female breast and two naked men (not full frontal, though nudity is definitely suggested). Django and his wife share a passionate kiss in one scene. There's a good deal of flirting and sexual tension and some innuendo (such as a reference to "comfort girls").

Language: Very strong language throughout includes nonstop use of the "N" word; possibly the most ever used in a high-profile film. Other words include "f--k," "motherf---er," "s--t," "p---y," "t-ts," "goddamn," "ass," "damn," "hell," "bastard," "bitch," "goddamn," "oh my God," and more.

Consumerism: Not applicable

Drinking, drugs and smoking: Adult characters smoke cigarettes in a background way. The two main characters sip at two beers in a saloon. Characters drink stronger alcohol in a social setting.

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